will travel for food

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din tai fung, serangoon

decent noodles and dumplings at this taiwanese chain – I’ve done a post on this one before because I really rather like it, but here’s an update (including one of their best dishes). also – this is an effortless way to say hello(!) in the midst of post-holiday-induced melancholy, and fortuitously, a recommendation for an easy dinner out if you can’t bring yourself to cook tonight.

this is a good fallback restaurant (but not if you’re dining at a typical meal hour, as it’s always full) for decent food and low prices; and while I think the crystal jade empire (and more relevantly, its equivalent la mian xiao long bao outlets) serves better food when their kitchens exert themselves, this place shows a higher degree of consistency in production.

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and production, it really is – though there’s some semblance of artisanal quality in showing their chefs with their magic fingers folding eighteen pleats into dumplings, and weighing out balls of dough for their noodles – those sous-chefs work at an admirable speed far akin to the efficiency of machines.

anyway, down to bizniz: I thought I’d share one of their most impressive dishes (in value and taste) – that very plate of expertly-fried rice topped with a large slab of fried pork chop. it’s my partner’s favourite – he orders it almost every time we’re there – and it really is great execution. well-dispersed egg, a good mound of separately-grained rice, and that moist slice of deeply-browned loin. we shared some dumplings – those xiao long bao (aka soup dumplings) are a must, with lots of black vinegar and strips of ginger, and the vegetable ones a little more take-or-leave-it.

I did have my requisite plate of xiao chi (little eats) – this time a dish of stewed beancurd with bamboo shoots and mushrooms. the sauce was on the sweet side, and a little oily, but still very enjoyable (especially after I washed off that oil with a douse of chinese tea).

cheap, easy, and with so many outlets you’re bound to find one near you, this makes a good contingency meal plan. make it yours!